The Muppets and The Muppets...Again director James Bobin is in early talks to direct Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland 2. Although Depp has not been officially confirmed, the studio will not go forward without him.
James Bobin is in early talks to direct “Alice in Wonderland 2” for Disney and producer Joe Roth, according to two individuals with knowledge of the deal. Johnny Depp would also return to star as the Mad Hatter, although that has not been explicitly announced.
Source: The Wrap

It's official, a Bad Santa 2 is happening -- whether we like it or not. Doug Ellin has been tapped to rewrite the screenplay with the possibility to also direct the film. It has pretty much all but been confirmed that star Billy Bob Thornton will return as the foul-mannered department store Santa.
Doug Ellin has signed to rewrite and possibly direct Bad Santa 2, the sequel to the 2003 R-rated classic black comedy that starred Billy Bob Thornton in the title role, along with the late Bernic Mac and John Ritter. Ellin rewrites a script by Johnny Rosenthal. The picture resides at Miramax, and Geyer Kosinski is producing it through his Media Talent Group banner. Some things need to fall into place for this one. Ellin, for one, has turned in his script for the movie version of the hit HBO series Entourage and is waiting to see when he will direct it. Ellin has started on Bad Santa 2, though.
Source: Deadline

The new and updated Bumblebee from Transformers 4 has been revealed via Michael Bay's official website. This new version is a highly modified 1967 Camaro -- and honestly, I like this a lot better than the 2009 model.

We've finally gotten our very first look at what Chucky will look like in the upcoming Curse of Chucky, the sixth sequel in the Child's Play franchise (which is said to be a direct sequel to Child's Play 3).

Glad to see a variation of the classic Good Guy look -- actually reminds me a lot of the original.

The international trailer for Grown Ups 2 has been released -- and yes, the movie seems a bit funnier this time around...
This second gathering of childhood friends finds Lenny (Adam Sandler) moving his family back to the same small town where he grew up. Now, the adults (Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, and David Spade) are the ones learning from their kids as the last day of school and its antics and surprises take center stage. Dennis Dugan returns to direct.

This is a trend I definitely want to see continue! Just like the Sam Raimi produced Evil Dead reboot, this new Poltergeist will work as both a reboot and a sequel!
Firstly, the Kenan-directed Raimi-produced reboot – much like the “Evil Dead” remake – exists in the same world as the previous “Poltergeist” films. So while it is a ‘reboot’ of the franchise, it’s also somewhat of a sequel – taking place years after the Freeling’s were ran out of town.

In one scene in the new film, the kids’ find some things behind the sliding panel in the attic. Yep, you guessed it – they find some of the Freeling’s possessions, intentionally left behind. There’s the Star Wars bed sheets (from Robbie’s room), a black-and-white TV set (why, of course!), and some Christmas decorations.
Source: Moviehole

It won't exactly be a real-deal true sequel, but a film that would take place during the first week of college and have the same tone and feel as Dazed and Confused -- sans all the original characters -- being referred to as a "spiritual sequel". Hell, I'd see it.
He also said some things about a sequel to Dazed and Confused, as ThePlaylist caught up with him, where some new information came to light. An interesting analogy was given by the filmmaker himself, saying that if the original was his high school, the sequel will be his college. Past news has described it as being set at the first weekend at college, which sounds like it could fit in with the original’s tone and setting — there’s plenty of room for the same kind of humor and situations, at least. What’s interesting is that it won’t have any of the same characters from the fist, which makes it sound more like a spiritual sequel than anything else.
Source: The Film Stage

Of course it is a reboot. Not sure why this is even an issue. We all knew it was a reboot. Not a remake, but a reboot (a film that is simply restarting the franchise, not redoing the events of the first film).
While we wait for the next official announcement, actor Sam Neill - best known for playing Doctor Alan Grant in 1993's Jurassic Park and 2001's Jurassic Park III - told Stuff.co.nz that he will unlikely reprise the role for Jurassic Park 4. He doesn't detail why, but hints at the reason in a brief comment. "I'm told it's a big reboot, a total re-jig."
When enough time passes, any sequel can be considered a reboot. Hell, look at Texas Chainsaw 3D, Scream 4 and even Superman Returns. Yes, they're all sequels...and reboots. Calm down, Sam Neill.

A new trailer for The Wolverine, the sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, has been released. If anything, this new look at the film seems to be a nice vehicle for Wolverine, who has become the most interesting of the X-Men movie characters.

According to Expendables creator and star Sylvester Stallone, martial arts action hero Steven Seagal wants to be a part of The Expendables 3 -- if the part fits.

Just talked to STEVEN S. in Moscow ...Sounds great and says he wants to be in EX3, if the part fits....
— Sylvester Stallone (@TheSlyStallone) May 19, 2013
So, do you think Seagal will have a role in EX3?

No, I'm not talking about the Nicolas Cage remake of The Wicker Man. Instead, we're talking about Ritual, the 1967 novel by David Pinner which was turned in to the 1973 classic movie The Wicker Man. What's fascinating is that Pinner, in a recent interview with Rue Morgue, stated he has actually written a sequel to Ritual -- titled The Wicca Women!
“I’ve just completed the sequel to ‘Ritual,’ after all these years, called ‘The Wicca Woman,’” Pinner tells Rue Morgue Magazine in the most recent issue. “The children who are in ‘Ritual’ are grown up in this. It’s set 30 years later just before the millennium.”
Now will this ever become a movie? Maybe.

Legendary posted a video last night from director Gareth Edwards on the set of his Godzilla reboot.
Godzilla (2014) opens in theaters in exactly one year! Watch this greeting from Director Gareth Edwards and stay tuned for more behind the scenes updates by following Legendary.

With director J.J. Abrams at the helm, it's highly unlikely that "Star Trek Into Darkness," the second film in the must-loved franchise's reboot, is going to be a flop. With a budget of $185 million, the backing of sponsors such as Visa, Mazda, Lifelock and Esurance, and a huge marketing campaign, STID is positioned to be the most successful film in the Star Trek franchise. The success of the "Star Trek" film from 2009 presents a feasible future for the sagging 40-year-old franchise as it incorporated themes and characters from the original series as well as a divergent story and timeline from the original.

Familiar faces and personalities abound in the new Star Trek narrative, such as Captain James T. Kirk, Spock and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, but a split in the narrative of the Star Trek universe has lead to different developments surrounding the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. For instance, Captain Christopher Pike is still the first captain of the…

Well, there goes the pigs' neighborhood. An Angry Birds movie will be hitting the big screen July 1, 2016. John Cohen (Despicable Me) and David Maisel (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America) will produce the project. The screenplay is to be written by Edward Albee.

Now, is this entirely necessary? No. Will the kids like it? Probably. Will it make money? I'm sure. Should there be a sequel? Let's hope not.

Finally, a full trailer for Riddick has been released, along with a new poster.
Left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, Riddick finds himself up against an alien race of predators. Activating an emergency beacon alerts two ships: one carrying a new breed of mercenary, the other captained by a man from Riddick's past.

My brain is still trying to process what it has just learned -- Arnold Schwarzenegger is in negotiations to star in the remake of The Toxic Avenger. Strange thing? He wouldn't be playing Toxie, but another lead role.

As a kid, I absolutely loved the Toxic Avenger movies (hell, I even had a Toxie action figure when I was 5); and as an adult, I still do!
Arnold Schwarzenegger is in talks to star in the new “Toxic Avenger,” but he’s no Toxie. He’s in negotiations for another lead role in the reimagining of the 1980s cult pic.
Source: Variety

Hate to burst some bubbles, but we aren't getting that long talked-about sequel Gremlins 3 -- instead, we're being treated with a remake from producers Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg.
Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned that Warner Bros. is officially moving ahead with a remake of Amblin’s 1984 Gremlins, instead of the long gestured sequel.
Source: Bloody Disgusting

Director Nicholas Triarchos is needing help getting his animated remake of Plan 9 From Outer Space off the ground -- and you can help!
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE CARTOON REMAKE

Bad Aftertaste Animation needs your Angora!

NICOSIA, Cyprus - May 6th, 2013

Greetings, earthlings. You better turn on your dictorobitaries for the following announcement.

Bad Aftertaste Animation would love to affect you in the future with this future event: a cartoon remake of Plan 9 From Outer Space, featuring a complete new soundtrack - voices, music and, as a change, acting! - and animated goodness, from special effects to Vampira’s wooden movements. Yes, ‘ooh!’ I hear you say awestruck.

However, world domination cannot happen without your help funding this project, since our electrode guns aren't working, and dropping them on the ground doesn't help. We have started an IndieGoGo campaign trying to collect the necessary material for our attack on mankind.

The sequel to 300, 300: Rise of an Empire, is being pushed from August 2, 2013 to March 7, 2014.
Shuffling its release schedule, Warner Bros. is pushing back the release of sequel 300: Rise of an Empire from Aug. 2 to March 7, 2014 -- the same corridor that the first film, a sleeper hit, opened in 2007.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Well, put the rumors and deleted tweets aside. Universal has confirmed that Jurassic Park 4 has been put on hold for the time being.

Here is a snippet from Universal's official statement:
In coordination with filmmakers, Universal has decided to release Jurassic Park 4 at a later date giving the studio and filmmakers adequate time to bring audiences the best possible version of the fourth installment in Universal’s beloved franchise.
That being said, wouldn't a more logical approach be to just push the release date back? Or is it perhaps that now that they're allotting more time for the movie to get made that they could actually go back and rewrite some of the screenplay -- allowing for better FX, etc?

The film is the third in the so-called "Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy" by director Edgar Wright, stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and producer Nira Park. Check out the trailer below!

Here is the synopsis of the film:

Five childhood friends reunite after twenty years to repeat a legendary pub crawl from their youth,
returning to their hometown once again to attempt to reach the fabled pub "The
World’s End". Over the course of the night, they begin to realise that the real
struggle is "not just theirs but humankind’s", and completing the crawl becomes
the least of their worries.

The film also stars Rosamund Pike, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan. The film is scheduled to be released first in the UK on July 19 and will be released in the US August 23, 2013.
I am super excited for this film. What about you?

Just days after Jurassic Park 4 director Colin Trevorrow released a scouting photo for JP4, concept artist Dean Sherriff tweeted that "Jp4 on hold" -- and that tweet has since been deleted, but then Todd Smoyer, digital assets manager, tweeted that "Hollywood makes and crushes dreams. Goodbye JP4".

So it that it? Has Jurassic Park 4 been shelved for the time being? This fan certainly hopes not -- but it's looking that it is, for now, anyway.

Although filming commenced last year on I Spit on Your Grave 2, Anchor Bay is finally getting around to releasing it on DVD and Blu-ray...this fall.
Anchor Bay Films has once again joined forces with CineTel Films to release the next chapter of the controversial I Spit On Your Grave film franchise. I Spit on Your Grave 2 wrapped production late last year with Steven R. Monroe directing. The film is expected to be released in fall 2013. Anchor Bay Entertainment President Bill Clark made today’s announcement. Anchor Bay Films released I Spit on Your Grave in 2010. I Spit on Your Grave 2 is a new chapter in the series.
Source: Deadline

It has been rumored for awhile now, but it has just been confirmed that Jason Statham will be joining the cast of the now-in-production Fast & Furious 7, which be directed by Saw's James Wan.

In an interview with DesdeHollywood, Furious alum Michelle Rodriguez was asked what she thought about the potential of Statham joining, and, well, yeah -- she confirmed it.
“Jason Statham, Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, when you see these guys in a room you know they belong together [...] You can see in their eyes that they have gone through a lot [...] I applaud Universal for getting him on-board!”
Source: DesdeHollywood

In somewhat of a surprise move, Tom Cruise has signed on to do a fifth Mission: Impossible. Big names don't usually stick around in franchises that keep climbing in numbers (although the Fast & Furious movies are changing the game in that category) -- and maybe that's what Cruise wants the M:I series to be. Nevertheless, it's official: Cruise is back for Mission: Impossible 5.
Ethan Hunt has accepted another mission. Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions have set Tom Cruise in a deal to star in and produce a fifth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Both Paramount and Skydance have confirmed this, but they are not saying who’s writing and directing, or when they are targeting release. I’ve heard all along that the director will be Christopher McQuarrie, Cruise’s frequent collaborator who most recently wrote and directed Jack Reacher, the adaptation of the Lee Child novels that starred Cruise.
Source: Deadline

Article first published as Husbands: A Series Five Minutes Ahead of History on Blog Critics.

At this years C2E2 conference in Chicago I had the pleasure of speaking to Jane Espenson and Brad Bell. I asked them when their marriage equality comedyHusbands is set. Jane’s answer was telling: “It lives in an alternative reality. A reality where marriage equality has happened nationally and where there is an out professional baseball player. A world set about five minutes before things are happening in the real world.”

It turned out that it did not take much longer than those five minutes for those worlds to feel a lot closer. Less than a day after I spoke with Jane and Brad, NBA center Jason Collins changed the sports world with a few sentences: “I am a 34 year old NBA Center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” A few days after that Rhode Island became the 10th state in America to make marriage equality a reality.

What makes Husbands unique isn't just its subject matter but the couple at its he…

I wish I could tell you that it's a sure thing that Luke Evans will be playing Eric Draven in The Crow reboot, but I won't do that. Instead, I'll just tell you that right now, this second, Evans is the guy that Relativity wants to wear the face paint.
The Crow will fly with Welsh actor Luke Evans playing the title role in the F. Javier Gutierrez-directed franchise reboot for Relativity Media. Evans was the original choice, but he has been incredibly busy. He was just cast as the lead in Dracula Year Zero, he is the villain in Fast & Furious 6 and is Bard the Bowman in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Evans seemed to be unavailable because of production on Dracula and promotion on The Hobbit. The distributor looked at Tom Hiddleston and more recently Alexander Skarsgard, the latter of whom has a bunch of offers after Warner Bros halted Tarzan. Ultimately, they have decided to push the start date to early next year to accommodate his schedule in order to secure Eva…

The 1994 film adaptation of the John Grisham novel A Time to Kill was the big break Matthew McConaughey needed. And now, Grisham is working on the printed sequel, Sycamore Row. Though no film is currently planned, someone is sure to snag the rights, considering the original was a moderate success -- and McConaughey would most likely return as well.

Sycamore Row hits bookshelves in October -- and by then, it just may have the "soon to be a major motion picture" sticker on the cover.

The force was with us at this year's C2E2 because among the crowded guest list for this years convention was, Ashley Eckstein the actor who voices Ahsoka Tahno on Star Wars the Clone Wars and who is bringing Star Wars to nerd girls of all ages by providing clothing designed specifically for them.

Fully half of all science fiction fans are women and as Ashley pointed out at her panel Fierce Females of television this weekend they also control eighty percent of all U.S. purchasing power. Those are numbers so large even a marketing padawan should be able to see the common sense that has made Her Universe a much deserved success.

Ashley says that it was a selfish decision to make her company. She went looking for Star Wars shirts designed for women and girls for herself and simply couldn’t find any. After finding out she would need to have a company before Lucasfilm would allow her to receive a license to make any t-shirts she did exactly that and Her Universe was born. Simply becaus…